Moses Ben Chanoch

(Died c.965)

The legendary story of how R. Moses came to Cordoba is
found in Ibn Daud's book, The Book of Tradition. In it, we're told that
R. Moses and his family were captured while on a trip to the west in order to
raise money for the Sura Academy in Babylonia. His wife, fearing the worst,
threw herself overboard. The rabbi and his son were eventually sold as slaves
in Cordoba.

Once they were redeemed by the community, the great rabbi revealed
the depth of his knowledge while innocently asking questions to Nathan, the
head of the Academy in Cordoba. It is said that Nathan immediately yielded his
authority to the stranger dressed in rags, and Hasdai, ever after, provided
for R. Moses' well being. Under his direction, Spanish Jewry was no longer
dependent on Babylonia for halachic decisions. He was succeeded by his son, Hanoch.

Sources:This material was originally published in Sparks! -
an e-zine for Jewish families located on the Internet at http://www.sparksmag.com